With the Program for the Development of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), Mexico increases the opportunity to be a logistics platform of an escalated global relevance.
The project could be key for global trade in both the medium and long term as it will be creating a new route for international trade, a constant aspiration of the Mexican government.
The CIIT connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Since entering the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, Mexico has substantially increased its trade, not only with more local regions like the United States and Canada, but also with the international community. However its growth isn't limited to the physical the goods that the country exports and imports from all over the planet, but its geographic location also proves an asset as it’s a strategic and neuralgic point in the transfer of goods to the area of greatest consumption in the world: North America, and specifically the United States.
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with only 303 km of distance between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, offers a unique position for the inter-oceanic transfer and the export of products to the continent and the world.
As one of the narrowest spaces in North America, the CIIT creates a multimodal logistics platform that is able to connect the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico.
The CIIT is intended to be highly functional and will allow the economic integration of the southeastern region of the country with Central America, the European Union, Asia and continue strengthening the commercial relationship with North America.
With these actions, the states of Oaxaca, Veracruz and the entire South-Southeast region of the country will be able to take advantage of the 12 international treaties in force with America, Europe and Asia ( more than 1.7 billion inhabitants), with the objective of integrating the industries of the region into the value chains of the entire Mexican Export Industry.
With the CIIT, the South-Southeast region will truly become a logistics and manufacturing center of the American continent.
Through the Pacific, from the Port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca, Mexico has an average 15-day maritime connection with Asia. With South America this time is shortened to an average of 2.2 days travel time. It also has a connection with Los Angeles, United States, of just 3.6 days.
In the Gulf of Mexico (Atlantic Ocean), through the port of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico has a connection to Europe with an estimated travel time of about 15 days. This port also provides connections to five cities in the coastal southern and eastern United States.
Text:Ricardo Vázquez
Photo: Unidad de Comunicación Social de la Secretaría de Marina